Sinker bar for straight machines



D86. 6, 1966 KOHL 3,289,438

SINKER BAR FOR STRAIGHT MACHINES Filed June 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR wyfl 49,4 2 Z Dec. EJ11 966 K. KOHL 3,289,438

SINKER BAR FOR STRAIGHT MACHINES Filed June 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR: ZQFA- fa/yz 3,289,438 SINKER BAR FOR STRAIGHT MACHINES Karl Kohl, Offenbacher Landstrasse, Hainstadt am Main, Germany Filed June 9, 1964, Ser. No. 373,614 Claims priority, application Germany, June 14, 1963, M 57,186 4 Claims. (Cl. 66--109) This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to the bar-shaped movable members of a warp knitting machine on which the yarn engaging members of the machine, such as the needles, yarn guides and sinkers are supported.

The afore-mentioned movable members are inherently quite long, and they move at relatively high speed. When they are made of steel, as is conventional, their mass and inertia are high and unfavorably affect the operating characteristics of the knitting machine unless special, costly and relatively complex precautions are taken. If the steel bars are replaced by bars made of light metals which resist exposure to the atmosphere, more specifically aluminum, magnesium and their commercial alloys, the mass and inertia are greatly reduced. However, such bars have a high coefficient of thermal expansion and lack dimensional stability under the varying temperature conditions of a knitting shop.

The object of the invention is the provision of supporting bars for the yarn engaging elements of a knitting machine, such as needles, yarn guides or sinkers, which combine the dimensional stability of steel bars with the low weight and inertia of light metal bars.

With this and other objects in view, the invention provides a knitting machine with an elongated needle bar, yarn guide bar or sinker bar equipped for securing such yarn engaging elements on the bar in a longitudinal row. The bar consists of light metal, that is, aluminum, magnesium or their commercial alloys, and has an elongated steel member fixedly fastened to a longitudinal face thereof. The steel member is at least longitudinally coextensive with the light metal bar. When the steel member is longer, its longitudinally projecting portions carry abutments which longitudinally engage the bar.

Other features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same is better understood by reference to the attached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a sinker bar of the invention and associated elements-of a warp knitting machine in a fragmentary perspective view, and partly in elevational section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows another portion of the device of FIG. 1 in a plan view;

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention in fragmentary front elevation; and

FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the invention in a fragmentary perspective view.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1, there is seen a sinker bar 14 of aluminum the top face 13 of which is recessed. A row of metal blocks 11 is fastened in the recess by flat head screws 12. Sinkers 10, only partly shown in FIG. 1, are cast into the blocks 11 as is conventional. The sinkers project beyond the front of the bar 14.

A thin and wide steel strap is attached to the normally vertical rear face of the aluminum bar 14 by a film of adhesive too thin to be visible on the scale of the drawings. The steel strap 15 is furthermore secured to the aluminum bar by machine screws 16 of which only 7 one is seen in FIG. 1.

United States Patent 0 3,289,438 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 The screws respectively attach arms 17 to the steel strap 15 and the block 14. Each arm 17 has an end portion fixedly fastened to a sinker shaft 18 connected to the main drive mechanism of the knitting machine in a manner not further illustrated. The shaft angularly reciprocates, as indicated by a double arrow, when the knitting machine operates, and thereby actuates movement of the sinkers 10 toward and away from a knitting area not otherwise indicated.

As seen in the plan views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the sinker bar 14 is further secured against thermal expansion, and the resulting displacement relative to the strap 15, by abutments mounted on longitudinally terminal portions of the strap 15 which project beyond the ends of the bar 14. As shown in FIG. 2, an end portion of the strap 15 carries an'internally threaded block 20 in which a spindle or screw 21 is threadedly movable about an axis which is parallel to the common direction of elongation of the bar 14 and the strap 15. An abutment plate 22 on the free end of the spindle 21 engages an end face 19 of the bar 14.

As seen in FIG. 3, the other end of the bar 14 longitudinally engages an abutment 23 fixedly attached to the other end portion of the strap 15. The longitudinally adjustable abutment plate 22 and the fixed abutment 23 limit the thermal expansion of the aluminum bar 13 substantially to that of the steel strap 15. The strap is of high-strength steel capable of absorbing the tensile stresses set up by the tendency of the bar 14 to expand upon heating. The shaft 18, metal blocks 11, screws 12 and sinkers 10 have been omitted from the showing of all figures of the drawing other than FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity. Only the tapped holes 12 which. receive the screws 12 are shown in FIG. 3.

The modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 is provided with five high-strength steel wires 24 arranged in transversely spaced relationship on the rear face of the aluminum bar 14. The ends of the wires are respectively attached to the internally threaded block 20, as shown in FIG. 4, and to the fixed abutment 23 in a manner evident from the drawing but not specifically illustrated. The wires are fastened to the rear face of the bar 14 by adhesive.

The sinker bar 14a shown in FIG. 5 differs from the corresponding element illustrated in FIG. 1 by a passage 25 which passes longitudinally through the bar. A strap 15 is adhesively secured to a fiat wall in the passage 25. The longitudinal position of the strap 15 in the passage 25 is further secured by a threaded spindle 21 engaging an end face 19a of the bar 14a and a fixed abutment, not further illustrated, in the manner-shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

While adhesive connections have specifically been described with reference to the illustrated embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that a bond between the aluminum bar and steel strap of sufficient strength to resist the thermal stresses set up under varying ambient temperatures may be established by other conventional methods, such as soldering, brazing or welding. Particularly when employed in conjunction with longitudinally terminal abutments, the several bonding methods are equally effective.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not limited to the examples chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, and numerous variations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine, in combination:

(a) an elongated bar member of light metal having a longitudinal face;

(b) securing means for securing a plurality of yarn engaging elements on said bar member in a longitudinal row; and

(c) an elongated steel member fixedly fastened to said longitudinal face, said steel member being longer than said bar member and longitudinally projecting beyond the ends of the bar member;

(d) abutment means on the projecting portions of said steel member and longitudinally engaging said bar member.

2. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 1, said abutment means including at least one abutment member threadedly mounted on said steel member for threaded movement about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of elongation of said bar member, said bar member having an end face transverse of said direction and engaging said abutment member.

3. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 1, actuating means for actuating movement of said bar member transversely of the direction of elongation thereof.

4. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 3, said yarn engaging elements being sinker members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A KNITTING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ELONGATED BAR MEMBER OF LIGHT METAL HAVING A LONGITUDINAL FACE; (B) SECURING MEANS FOR SECURING A PLURALITY OF YARN ENGAGING ELEMENTS ON SAID BAR MEMBER IN A LONGITUDINAL ROW; AND (C) AN ELONGATED STEEL MEMBER FIXEDLY FASTENED TO SAID LONGITUDINAL FACE, SAID STEEL MEMBER BEING LONGER THAN SAID BAR MEMBER AND LONGITUDINALLY PROJECTING BEYOND THE ENDS OF THE BAR MEMBER; (D) ABUTMENT MEANS ON THE PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID STEEL MEMBER AND LONGITUDINALLY ENGAGING SAID BAR MEMBER. 